I Switched From Cross Stitch to Embroidery - And I Don’t Miss Counting Squares

Hi, I’m Anna.

I have always loved the idea of slow stitching.

There is something so comforting about sitting down in the evening, making a cup of tea, picking up a needle, and working with your hands for a little while.

No rushing. No phone. No noise.

Just thread, fabric, and a quiet moment for yourself.

That is what I wanted from cross stitch.

And at first, I really did enjoy it.

I loved the little X-shaped stitches. I loved seeing a picture slowly appear. I loved the feeling of doing something creative, even if it was just for 20 minutes at the end of the day.

But after a while, I started to notice something.

Cross stitch was beautiful… but it was not always relaxing.

Sometimes I spent more time counting than stitching.

I would look at the chart, then the fabric, then back at the chart.

Five squares over. Three squares down. Change color. Skip two. Count again.

Then the phone would ring, or someone would ask me something, and suddenly I had no idea where I was.

And if I counted wrong?

That was the worst part.

One little mistake could shift the whole design.

Then came the part many stitchers know too well: pulling out stitches.

All that time, all that thread, all that patience… gone.

I remember thinking, “This was supposed to calm me down. Why am I getting annoyed?”

I didn’t want to stop stitching

The funny thing is, I did not want to quit.

I still loved stitching by hand.

I still loved the quiet feeling of making something slowly.

I just wanted it to feel softer.

Less strict.

Less like following a tiny map.

Less like one mistake could ruin everything.

I wanted to enjoy the process again.

That is when I started trying embroidery.

Not fancy embroidery. Not complicated embroidery.

Just simple beginner embroidery kits.

The kind with the design already printed on the fabric.

That small detail changed everything for me.

I did not have to count every square anymore.

I could simply look at the design and follow the lines.

It felt almost like coloring with thread.

And honestly, that felt so freeing.

Embroidery gave me room to breathe

With cross stitch, every stitch has its exact place.

That can be lovely if you enjoy structure.

But for me, after a long day, I did not always want structure.

I wanted peace.

Embroidery felt different.

If one stitch was a little longer, it still looked pretty.

If a flower petal was not perfect, it still looked natural.

If a leaf was slightly uneven, it looked handmade in the best way.

I did not feel like I had failed.

I felt like I had made something mine.

That was the part I did not expect.

Embroidery gave me permission to relax.

It did not ask me to be perfect.

It let me be creative.

I started with beginner stitches

At first, I was nervous.

I thought embroidery might be harder because there are different stitches.

But actually, that became my favorite part.

I did not have to learn everything at once.

I started small.

A back stitch.

A running stitch.

A satin stitch.

A lazy daisy.

A few little flowers. A stem. A leaf.

Each stitch felt like a tiny new skill, and every time I learned one, I felt proud.

Not in a big dramatic way.

Just that sweet little feeling of, “Oh, I can do this.”

And the more stitches I learned, the more fun it became.

Cross stitch had me making the same X again and again.

Embroidery gave me texture, curves, flowers, soft lines, and little details.

It felt more alive.

The biggest difference for me

Cross stitch made me count.

Embroidery let me create.

That is the simplest way I can explain it.

I still think cross stitch is beautiful. I know many women love it, and I completely understand why.

But if you have ever lost your place on a chart…

If you have ever counted the same row three times…

If you have ever found one tiny mistake and had to pull out a whole section…

If you have ever wanted stitching to feel relaxing but instead felt frustrated…

Then embroidery may feel like such a lovely change.

It still gives you that calm hand-stitching feeling.

It still gives you something beautiful to make.

But it feels less strict.

Less stressful.

More forgiving.

More creative.

More peaceful.

It brought the joy back

That is what surprised me most.

Embroidery did not feel like starting over.

It felt like coming back to the reason I wanted to stitch in the first place.

The quiet.

The colors.

The little progress.

The feeling of making something pretty with my own hands.

And when I finished my first beginner embroidery project, I did not sit there looking for mistakes.

I just smiled.

Because it looked sweet.

It looked handmade.

It looked like something I actually enjoyed making.

That mattered more than perfection.

If you love cross stitch, you may love embroidery too

Maybe you are here because you were looking for cross stitch kits.

Maybe you love stitching, but you are tired of counting.

Maybe your eyes do not love tiny charts as much as they used to.

Maybe you want something creative, but not complicated.

Maybe you just want a peaceful hobby that feels good at the end of the day.

If that sounds familiar, embroidery might be worth trying.

Start with something simple.

Choose a beginner-friendly kit.

Pick a design that makes you smile.

Follow the printed lines.

Learn one stitch at a time.

There is no need to rush.

There is no need to be perfect.

Just sit down, take a breath, and let your hands make something beautiful.

Ready to try embroidery instead?

If cross stitch has started to feel more like counting than relaxing, embroidery may be the fresh start you need.

A pre-printed beginner embroidery kit gives you the supplies, the design, and a simple place to begin.

No chart stress.

No guessing what to buy.

No pressure to make it perfect.

Just a calm, creative project you can enjoy one stitch at a time.